Jonny Smyth, who is being held in a Spanish prison as a suspect in the murder of John George, married 19-year-old Madison Allen while on the run from police, his new wife claims
A man accused of a brutal murder in Spain is alleged to have secretly married his teenage partner while on the run from police.
Jonny Smyth, a murder suspect now being held in a Spanish prison, tied the knot with 19-year-old Madison Allen during his time on the run, Allen has claimed. Smyth is suspected of involvement in the killing of 36-year-old Belfast man John George, whose body was discovered in a remote orchard in southern Spain earlier this year.
Mr George disappeared in December 2024 while visiting Spain for what was reportedly a short holiday. His body was found on January 7, dumped in an isolated orchard near the town of Rojales, close to Torrevieja on the Costa Blanca. He had been stabbed and shot multiple times, including wounds to his chest and face.
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Soon after Mr George’s disappearance, Smyth left Spain along with Allen, a model from Newtownabbey, County Antrim. They were traced to an Airbnb in Portugal, booked under Allen’s name, where Smyth had been living for about a month. He was arrested there in March 2025 under a European Arrest Warrant and subsequently extradited back to Spain.
Despite being the subject of an active Interpol red notice, Smyth was somehow able to travel to Gibraltar in February with Allen, where the couple were married in a civil ceremony, she said. According to Allen, the wedding took place at The Convent, the official residence of the Governor of Gibraltar – a venue often used for high-profile ceremonies, including royal receptions.
Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph, Allen confirmed the marriage but defended their decision to keep it quiet. “[No-one] public needs to know anything about me, hence why it wasn’t uploaded in February,” she said. “And my partner’s case or a murder has nothing to do with a marriage.
“I’ve already done my bit in court. I was the one who suggested getting married.”
Though she claims to have kept the wedding private, Allen has shared glimpses of her married life on TikTok, including photos of her wedding ring and a screenshot of a virtual prison visit with Smyth. She continues to post regularly from Spain.
Allen is not a suspect in the murder investigation and is not being sought by Spanish authorities. However, the fact that the reported marriage occurred during an international manhunt has raised questions about how Smyth was able to legally marry without alerting authorities – particularly given that he was named in international arrest warrants at the time.
Under Spanish law, marriage between a suspect and their partner could potentially offer legal benefits. Spousal privilege protects certain communications between married couples from being used as evidence in court. However, such privileges are limited and not absolute.
Following his arrest, Smyth was returned to Spain in March and is currently being held in a remand facility in Badajoz, a city in the Extremadura region near the Portuguese border. Court proceedings remain closed to the public in accordance with Spanish judicial norms, and details of the case remain limited.
A second man, Michal Maly, a Czech national, was also arrested in connection with the killing. He was taken into custody on January 10, shortly after Mr George’s body was found, and remains on bail while under investigation for being an alleged accomplice.
Mr George’s family had reported him missing after he failed to board a scheduled flight back to Belfast on December 18, four days after he was last seen. His disappearance prompted increasing concern until the grim discovery was made weeks later.
The investigation remains ongoing.